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20100528

Farmer alive while dragged behind bakkie – court

Afrikaner farmer Johan Strydom, 40, suffered a burst liver, a crushed skull and the extensive dragging-marks across his body showed that he was alive while being dragged behind his bakkie face-down, chained by the left ankle, the court heard…

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2010-05-28 Potchefstroom. – Buffelshoek farmer Johan Strydom was ambushed at his farm gate two weeks ago, chained to his bakkie by his left ankle and dragged face down across his farm while still very much alive, reports Beeld journalist Carla van Niekerk. She was quoting from a formal statement by a SAPS investigating officer who was describing the crime scene to the Potchefstroom magistrate’s court during the bail-application hearing of two of three black male suspects.One of these suspects had been released on R2,000 bail only four days before the Strydom murder, allegedly for shooting at another area farmer with a shotgun.

Warrant officer Kevin Pretorius testified that he found Mr Strydom with his face downwards – chained to his bakkie by his left ankle. The amiable Afrikaner farmer ‘s body showed that he suffered a burst liver, that the back of his skull was crushed in and there were extensive ‘dragging-marks’ across the length of his body. The evidence was submitted during the bail-applications of suspects Simphiwe Tueng (19) and Soul Letsie (21), twee of three black men arrested for the farmer’s torture-murder two weeks earlier on Saturday at noon.

Pretorius testified that Tueng and the third suspect Jonathan Sekgole, 21, also were scheduled to appear in D-court in the same building for the alleged shooting of another farmer with a stolen shotgun. Tueng told the court that he was being charged for illegal firearms possession but not for ‘attempted murder’.

Sekgole was released on R2,000 bail only four days before Strydom was murdered – even though he was suspected of shooting at another farmer. Magistrate Charles Eckley ruled that he wanted ‘more nformation about Tueng and Letsie’s claimed involvement in the earlier shooting’ before making a decision about their bail-application. Sekgole did not apply for bail this time.

Friends of Johan Strydom seated in the public gallery, were visibly dismayed when they heard the details of the way he had been tortured to death. Pretorius testified that he arrested Sekgole on the same Saturday-evening of Strydom’s murder after he’d found ‘goods in his possession which linked him to that crime.’ Pretorius then went to Tueng’s home – where he searched the premises and found Mr Strydom’s wallet and DVD-player. “He (Tueg) then went to his TV-set, opened up the rear and showed two sets of keys and various bank-cards. Upon investigation we determined that these also belonged to the murdered man and had been robbed the day of the murder’. Strydom’s cellphone then was also located in Letsie’s home, Pretorius told the magistrate. The court is now awaiting the results of the SAPS forensic DNA-tests and the fingerprint and spoor which were taken at the crime-scene before deciding on the bail application. He ordered that the suspects remain in police custody until their next hearing on June 3.

Strydom was known as the ‘peacemaker’ in the Parys /Buffelshoek community. On May 23 May 2010, he was buried after he was tortured to death on his farm on Saturday May 15 2010. He was ambushed at his farm gate in broad daylight. Very little of value was actually ‘robbed’ but the three suspects were found with various items in their possession which had belonged to the farmer: his keys, credit cards, cellphone, wallet….

His funeral service was led by Rev Frikkie Labuschagne from the Dutch Hervormd Church in Parys. So many people showed up that many extra chairs had to be found to accommodate them all in the overcrowded church. Many people stood listening at the doors and in the front hall and many were weeping openly. His coffin was carried to his grave by his two brothers-in-law, two nephews and two friends. His sisters Sarie Brits and Susan Lombard wept loudly while their only brother’s coffin was being lowered into the grave, reports Beeld newspaper.

The term "genocide" was coined by legal scholar Raphael Lemkin in 1943, writing:

'Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actionsaiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves.

The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of personal security, liberty, health, dignity and lives of the members of such groups... '